Men's Basketball

Davis, Muhammad pace Tech to year-ending win over Union, 95-46

Dec 30, 2009

Seniors set tone for coach Mike Sutton's squad to
cap 2009 on high note

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men’s basketball
team has won three games in a row following a 95-46 triumph
Wednesday night over Union College in Eblen Center. Coming up
Saturday, coach Mike Sutton’s squad looks to make it four
straight when it returns to Ohio Valley Conference play with a
visit to Southeast Missouri.

On Wednesday night, Union took an early seven-point lead but once
the Golden Eagles got untracked it quickly turned into a lopsided
contest. With 95 points against the Bulldogs, Tech (6-6) has
averaged nearly 92 points in its last four home contests.

Senior Frank Davis led Tech in scoring with 23 points, just one
short of his career-high, and also added five rebounds and three
assists. He went 5-for-9 from long range.

Several other Golden Eagles did record career-high numbers in the
game. Senior point guard Elijah Muhammad scored 17 points for a
career-high effort, and added six assists and three steals.
Sophomore Bassey Inameti’s (photo below) 14 points and four
blocked shots were both career-bests numbers, and freshman Terrell
Barnes had career-highs of 10 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Sophomore walk-on Riley Hunley had career numbers in points (4),
rebounds (7), assists (5) and steals (2).

In addition to Davis, Muhammad and Inameti, sophomore Kevin Murphy
also scored in double digits with 15 points and snatched a
career-best three steals.

Tech shot 50.7 percent for the game and 43.5 percent (10-for-23)
from long distance. The Golden Eagles also owned a 50-28 rebound
advantage.

Union had balanced scoring, getting eight points from five
different players and six from a sixth. Dan Penick led the way with
eight points and five rebounds, while Darrel Jackson, Payton
Ponzer, Beau Brown and Shawn Hadley also scored eight.

The Bulldogs shot 30.9 percent from the field.

Ponzer hit a 3-pointer for a 7-0 Bluefield lead, and
Jackson’s 3-pointer a few seconds later made it a 10-3
Bulldog edge. That set the stage for the Golden Eagles to run
through a 23-2 stretch to take control.

Muhammad scored five straight points and Jud Dillard hit a lay up
with 13:43 on the clock to tie the contest at 12-12. Davis broke
the tie and both Inameti and Murphy converted three-point
plays.

Up by 13 with 7:26 remaining, the Golden Eagles had a 16-0 run
eight consecutive from Davis and 3-pointers by Murphy and Muhammad,
making it a 44-15 Tech lead. The Golden Eagles were up 46-21 at the
intermission.

Tech’s lead grew to 30 in the first two minutes of the second
half and the Golden Eagles were on top by 41 points with 11:12
remaining. The final 49-point margin was the largest lead of the
contest.

Following their swing to Southeast Missouri and Eastern Illinois
this weekend, the Golden Eagles get back to Eblen Center next
Thursday to host Morehead State in an OVC contest at 7:30 p.m., the
second game of a doubleheader.

Tickets for Tech’s game against Morehead State, and all
remaining contests in 2009-2010, are available at the Athletics
Ticket Office in Eblen Center or by calling (931) 372-3940. The
ticket office remains closed through Sunday for the holidays, and
will reopen Monday at 8 a.m.